I am gutted, and you cant imagine what its like when you live in France. I thought England played well, though at times many of the players were virtually non existant. Having said that, other than Gerards mistake, and a well taken free kick, France had no other chances. I think that is impressive in itself, England can progress from here if they continue to play like that, and if they do I'm sure that they will be there or there abouts when the final comes around.

Sorry about the spelling mistake philip, ill make sure i dont do it again, but in my DEFENSE, ive been affected by growing up in different places.

I presume you meant central defence there philip? I fear the day we put Amo and Short in the midfield.

Strange how we arent willing to let them JUST name the price isn't it? If only it were that simple ...This is totally unrelated to the topic...but is it just me or have I lost 50 posts? I don't really mind...I was just wondering if the mods might be able to explain.

I suppose you arent happy to see Barry Ferguson in the squad list then?

The answer to that first question is obviously no

2.3 million is a lot for a club in our situation to spend on one player who is not proven quality. Having said that, given his age, and the storm that has been talked up about him, perhaps he's worth it. I really wouldn't know as I have only seen highlights, and almost anyone can look good during a highlight section, so who knows. I'd be interested to see if the Norwegian supporters felt he was worth 2.3 million. I mean when you consider we payed 1-1.5 million for Stead, how do they feel?

You're a strange little man

You could say the leeds squad have already done that

Yes, but it's quite possible that in a year they won't have a club anymore, they won't be very happy then. While Smith is Leeds through and through, I'm sure he'd rather be playing for Leeds (if they were in the premiership) than any other team.

Was that supposed to be anybody? If you don't feel sorry for anyone involved with Leeds United (meaning the fans and any home grown talents who weren't products of the machine that eventually exploded) then you really have no footballing heart

What a useful post, you should write the transfer rumour section for a newspaper.

Paul, I understand how you said "for a players of Duffs quality", but if he spends years playing only a few games a season (not that he has much choice with his current run of injuries), and ends up getting stuck at Chelsea as it could prove difficult to get one of Chelsea's "big names" away from them, you might find that a player who was once said to be one of the greatest talents in the world and possibly the best left winger, might well turn into a forgotten man. One who despite the level of competition he is playing in, rarely gets the chance to show just how good he really is, and when he gets to 34/35 (probably younger in Duff's case due to his injury record), all the money and Champion's League seasons in the world won't make up for the fact that he won't really have had the chance to play the way that he could have. I'm not saying he should have stayed at Blackburn all of his career, a move to a big club made sense, but anyone getting on board the Chelsea ship at the moment may well find that despite the lavish nature of the chairs, there isn't much leg room.

In the end they'll ruin themselves. Even with all the money there to get the club to agree to a fee and offer players good wages, if the players see the situation the club is in and the number of players already there, it is unlikely that players will continue to sign. So eventually I think that this singing anyone they want bubble will have to burst. Until then its entertaining stuff for the neutral and just annoying for the other clubs in the league and the ones who they are stealing their star players from, or in some cases not such star players. In the end I don't think this policy will bring much success to Chelsea, at least not as much as they would like, and I think it may well end up ruining several players careers, possibly including Duff's.

That one isn't a question for me

I saw a program on "The Three Degrees" a couple of months back on the BBC, the surviving duo were proud of what they had achieved, proud of the club, and did not mind the nickname. Shame about Big Ron in the sense that he is a good character and someone who I would associate with the game even though I don't really like him, at the same time as I don't really like him I'm not that sad really. Anyway with the MOTD back next season and SKY taking over the Champions League he was basically out of a job anyway.

He doesn't hate seeing us lose either...

'Nuff said then

The world would be a terrible place if Jim got anything right

Jim did you want to buy Stead? How about Friedel? Tugay? Gresko (at least last season? Cole? The list can go on and on (well to a good length) of excellent buys, players who have served the club well at times when they were needed. Yes, he's made one or two mistakes, and yes, he's yet to fill one or two positions, but considering the good job he's done in the past with bringing in players to do exactly what the club needs (yes yes, this time its taken him a while but everyone knows getting a good left midfielder is the hardest task there is basically), I'm quite confident that he will go on to do it again. I'm sure you are very good at predicting scores, but if you had been right, wouldn't we have been relegated by now?

Souness has his faults, like any manager, and this season they have been more apparent, but I still back him 100%. His disputes with players? He's always come out on top really. Dunn we got as good a price as you could imagine, Cole, I really think he's playing better now and seems more committed to the cause, Todd, well he was crap when we bought him and nobody liked him, so whatever Souness did to him seems to have worked. This season hasn't been great, but there should be no question about Souness' position at the club. I think this summer should be the time that we judge him, and see if the players he buys seem like they will solve the problems we have had, the kind we have all been calling for. If he goes out and gets another young striker (doesn't have to if he has very limited funds but it is quite important), a left midfielder (HAS to), a youngish central defender and probably one more central midfielder (Izzet) then I for one will say that Souey seems to be trying to solve those problems. This was our rebuilding season, at least that's how I see it in that glass half full sort of way, and I really feel that next season we could come back better then ever. If we are in the position we are in now a year from now, then I'll just stop posting.

As many of you know I am a strong supporter of Souness, and of course I'm not happy with our current position, but I'm not willing to turn my back on a man who has turned this club around (and anyone who says that he hasn't should just look at the recent history of the club and really try and argue that). At the end of the day though no one can win in this discussion, everyone is quiet on the topic until a result doesn't go our way, and then the moaners come out, I think once and for all those who aren't behind Souness should just come out and say it, and clearly put down why and where they think the club is going under him in the remainder of this season and next season. If they are proven correct, anyone who seriously takes up this offer of mine, I will personally pay for their season ticket to 2005-2006 games, if not they will simply have to accept the fact that they are wrong.

TCJ I think he was saying the average sportsman reaches their peak around the 28 year mark, and no matter what you think that is true. I think you have to look for a mixture, and we've got that about right, anymore of either one and it would be too much.

I think the man really personifies everything we would like our club to be, skilled but hard working, and never gives up. He was like that as a player and he's carried it into management, we're very lucky to have him at the helm, and anyone who thinks otherwise should just think of every other manager we've had since Dalglish.

Souness won't leave the club, I think this win and the couple of new signings have created some strong positive vibes, it can clearly be seen by reading this board. That is something Souey has to be given credit for, he spent about a million this transfer window and has brought in 3 players who have not only improved the squad but have changed the atmosphere, and in that way he has been successful with his responsibility to the fans. We may not have the greatest season this year, but there is certainly the great chance to push on next year if we arent so unlucky with injuries, as well as the couple of additions that will probably come in. Souey doesn't seem the type of man to back down from a challenge that has a good chance of producing something good, we'll never win the league, but there has been a nucleus for success (for our club that would be achieving 5th or 6th place) all season, some of us have stuck by these comments all year, others only when we win, and the rest just moan all day. At the end of it all though I firmly believe that this team will go onto good things.